Chapter 2: The Devi rises from the gods' fury

देवासुरमभूद् युद्धं पूर्णमब्दशतं पुरा ।
महिषेऽसुराणामधिपे देवानां च पुरन्दरे

devāsuramabhūd yuddhaṃ pūrṇamabdaśataṃ purā |
mahiṣe'surāṇāmadhipe devānāṃ ca purandare

The Rishi said: Long ago a war between the devas and the asuras went on for a full hundred years. Mahisha was lord of the asuras, and Purandara, Indra, led the devas.

तत्रासुरैर्महावीर्यैर्देवसैन्यं पराजितम् ।
जित्वा च सकलान् देवानिन्द्रोऽभून्महिषासुरः

tatrāsurairmahāvīryairdevasainyaṃ parājitam |
jitvā ca sakalān devānindro'bhūnmahiṣāsuraḥ

In that war the army of the devas was beaten by the mighty asuras. Having conquered all the devas, Mahishasura made himself Indra.

ततः पराजिता देवाः पद्मयोनिं प्रजापतिम् ।
पुरस्कृत्य गतास्तत्र यत्रेश-गरुडध्वजौ

tataḥ parājitā devāḥ padmayoniṃ prajāpatim |
puraskṛtya gatāstatra yatreśa-garuḍadhvajau

Then the defeated devas, with Brahma the lotus-born Prajapati at their head, went to where Shiva and Vishnu, whose banner bears Garuda, were.

यथावृत्तं तयोस्तद्वन्महिषासुरचेष्टितम् ।
त्रिदशाः कथयामासुर्देवाभिभवविस्तरम्

yathāvṛttaṃ tayostadvanmahiṣāsuraceṣṭitam |
tridaśāḥ kathayāmāsurdevābhibhavavistaram

The thirty gods told the two exactly what had happened, all of Mahishasura's deeds and how fully the devas had been overthrown.

सूर्येन्द्रग्न्यनिलेन्दूनां यमस्य वरुणस्य च ।
अन्येषां चाधिकारान् स स्वयमेवाधितिष्ठिति

sūryendragnyanilendūnāṃ yamasya varuṇasya ca |
anyeṣāṃ cādhikārān sa svayamevādhitiṣṭhiti

'He himself has seized the offices of Surya, Indra, Agni, Vayu, Chandra, Yama, Varuna and the other devas.'

स्वर्गान्निराकृताः सर्वे तेन देवगणा भुवि ।
विचरन्ति यथा मर्त्या महिषेण दुरात्मना

svargānnirākṛtāḥ sarve tena devagaṇā bhuvi |
vicaranti yathā martyā mahiṣeṇa durātmanā

'Driven out of heaven by that wicked Mahisha, all the hosts of devas wander the earth like mortal men.'

एतद्वः कथितं सर्वममरारिविचेष्टितम् ।
शरणं वः प्रपन्नाः स्मो वधस्तस्य विचिन्त्यताम्

etadvaḥ kathitaṃ sarvamamarāriviceṣṭitam |
śaraṇaṃ vaḥ prapannāḥ smo vadhastasya vicintyatām

'We have told you everything the enemy of the immortals has done. We have come to you for refuge; think how he may be slain.'

इत्थं निशम्य देवानां वचांसि मधुसूदनः ।
चकार कोपं शम्भुश्च भ्रुकुटीकुटिलाननौ

itthaṃ niśamya devānāṃ vacāṃsi madhusūdanaḥ |
cakāra kopaṃ śambhuśca bhrukuṭīkuṭilānanau

The Rishi said: Hearing these words of the devas, Madhusudana grew angry, and so did Shambhu; their faces knit with frowning brows.

ततोऽतिकोपपूर्णस्य चक्रिणो वदनात्ततः ।
निश्चक्राम महत्तेजो ब्रह्मणः शङ्करस्य च

tato'tikopapūrṇasya cakriṇo vadanāttataḥ |
niścakrāma mahattejo brahmaṇaḥ śaṅkarasya ca

Then from the face of the discus-bearer, filled with fury, there came forth a great radiance, and from Brahma and Shankara also.

अन्येषाञ्चैव देवानां शक्रादीनां शरीरतः ।
निर्गतं सुमहत्तेजस्तच्चैक्यं समगच्छत

anyeṣāñcaiva devānāṃ śakrādīnāṃ śarīrataḥ |
nirgataṃ sumahattejastaccaikyaṃ samagacchata

From the bodies of the other devas, Indra and the rest, a mighty radiance also came forth, and it all became one.

अतीव तेजसः कूटं ज्वलन्तमिव पर्वतम् ।
ददृशुस्ते सुरास्तत्र ज्वालाव्याप्तदिगन्तरम्

atīva tejasaḥ kūṭaṃ jvalantamiva parvatam |
dadṛśuste surāstatra jvālāvyāptadigantaram

The devas saw there a vast mass of light, like a mountain ablaze, its flames filling every quarter of the sky.

अतुलं तत्र तत्तेजः सर्वदेवशरीरजम् ।
एकस्थं तदभून्नारी व्याप्तलोकत्रयं त्विषा

atulaṃ tatra tattejaḥ sarvadevaśarīrajam |
ekasthaṃ tadabhūnnārī vyāptalokatrayaṃ tviṣā

That matchless radiance, born of the bodies of all the devas, gathered in one place and became a woman, whose splendour pervaded the three worlds.

यदभूच्छाम्भवं तेजस्तेनाजायत तन्मुखम् ।
याम्येन चाभवन् केशा बहवो विष्णुतेजसा

yadabhūcchāmbhavaṃ tejastenājāyata tanmukham |
yāmyena cābhavan keśā bahavo viṣṇutejasā

From Shiva's radiance her face was formed; from Yama's, her hair; from Vishnu's radiance, her arms.

सौम्येन स्तनयोर्युग्मं मध्यं चैन्द्रेण चाभवत् ।
वारुणेन च जङ्घोरू नितम्बस्तेजसा भुवः

saumyena stanayoryugmaṃ madhyaṃ caindreṇa cābhavat |
vāruṇena ca jaṅghorū nitambastejasā bhuvaḥ

From the Moon's radiance came her two breasts, from Indra's her waist, from Varuna's her shanks and thighs, and from the Earth's her hips.

ब्रह्मणस्तेजसा पादौ तदङ्गुल्योऽर्कतेजसा ।
वसूनाञ्च कराङ्गुल्यः कौबेरेण च नासिका

brahmaṇastejasā pādau tadaṅgulyo'rkatejasā |
vasūnāñca karāṅgulyaḥ kaubereṇa ca nāsikā

From Brahma's radiance came her feet, from the Sun's her toes, from the Vasus' her fingers, and from Kubera's her nose.

तस्यास्तु दन्ताः सम्भूताः प्राजापत्येन तेजसा ।
नयनत्रितयं जज्ञे तथा पावकतेजसा

tasyāstu dantāḥ sambhūtāḥ prājāpatyena tejasā |
nayanatritayaṃ jajñe tathā pāvakatejasā

Her teeth arose from the radiance of Prajapati, and her three eyes were born from the radiance of Agni, the fire.

भ्रुवौ च सन्ध्ययोस्तेजः श्रवणावनिलस्य च ।
अन्येषां चैव देवानां सम्भवस्तेजसां शिवा

bhruvau ca sandhyayostejaḥ śravaṇāvanilasya ca |
anyeṣāṃ caiva devānāṃ sambhavastejasāṃ śivā

Her brows came from the radiance of the two Sandhyas, dawn and dusk, and her ears from that of Vayu. From the radiance of the other devas too the auspicious Devi took shape.

ततः समस्तदेवानां तेजोराशिसमुद्भवाम् ।
तां विलोक्य मुदं प्रापुरमरा महिषार्दिताः

tataḥ samastadevānāṃ tejorāśisamudbhavām |
tāṃ vilokya mudaṃ prāpuramarā mahiṣārditāḥ

Seeing her, born from the gathered radiance of all the devas, the immortals oppressed by Mahisha were filled with joy.

ततो देवा ददुस्तस्यै स्वानि स्वान्यायुधानि च ।
ऊचुर्जयजयेत्युच्चैर्जयन्तीं ते जयैषिणः

tato devā dadustasyai svāni svānyāyudhāni ca |
ūcurjayajayetyuccairjayantīṃ te jayaiṣiṇaḥ

Then the devas gave her each his own weapon. Longing for victory, they cried aloud 'Victory, victory!' to her, the Victorious One.

शूलं शूलाद्विनिष्कृष्य ददौ तस्यै पिनाकधृक् ।
चक्रं च दत्तवान् कृष्णः समुत्पाद्य स्वचक्रतः

śūlaṃ śūlādviniṣkṛṣya dadau tasyai pinākadhṛk |
cakraṃ ca dattavān kṛṣṇaḥ samutpādya svacakrataḥ

Shiva, bearer of the Pinaka bow, drew a trident out of his own trident and gave it to her. Krishna, Vishnu, brought forth a discus from his own discus and gave it.

शङ्खञ्च वरुणः शक्तिं ददौ तस्यै हुताशनः ।
मारुतो दत्तवांश्चापं बाणपूर्णे तथेषुधी

śaṅkhañca varuṇaḥ śaktiṃ dadau tasyai hutāśanaḥ |
māruto dattavāṃścāpaṃ bāṇapūrṇe tatheṣudhī

Varuna gave her a conch, Agni a spear. Maruta, the Wind, gave a bow and two quivers full of arrows.

वज्रमिन्द्रः समुत्पाद्य कुलिशादमराधिपः ।
ददौ तस्यै सहस्राक्षो घण्टामैरावताद् गजात्

vajramindraḥ samutpādya kuliśādamarādhipaḥ |
dadau tasyai sahasrākṣo ghaṇṭāmairāvatād gajāt

Indra, the thousand-eyed lord of the immortals, brought forth a thunderbolt from his own vajra and gave it to her, and a bell from his elephant Airavata.

कालदण्डाद्यमो दण्डं पाशं चाम्बुपतिर्ददौ ।
प्रजापतिश्चाक्षमालां ददौ ब्रह्मा कमण्डलुम्

kāladaṇḍādyamo daṇḍaṃ pāśaṃ cāmbupatirdadau |
prajāpatiścākṣamālāṃ dadau brahmā kamaṇḍalum

Yama gave a staff drawn from his rod of death, Varuna, lord of waters, a noose. Prajapati gave a rosary, and Brahma a water-pot.

समस्तरोमकूपेषु निजरश्मीन् दिवाकरः ।
कालख्च दत्तवान् खड्गं तस्याश्चर्म च निर्मलम्

samastaromakūpeṣu nijaraśmīn divākaraḥ |
kālakhca dattavān khaḍgaṃ tasyāścarma ca nirmalam

Surya, the maker of day, set his own rays in every pore of her skin. Kala, Time, gave her a sword and a spotless shield.

क्षीरोदश्चामलं हारमजरे च तथाम्बरे ।
चूडामणिं तथा दिव्यं कुण्डले कटकानि च

kṣīrodaścāmalaṃ hāramajare ca tathāmbare |
cūḍāmaṇiṃ tathā divyaṃ kuṇḍale kaṭakāni ca

The Ocean of Milk gave a pure necklace and a pair of garments that never wear out, a heavenly crest-jewel, earrings and bracelets.

अर्धचन्द्रं तथा शुभ्रं केयूरान् सर्वबाहुषु ।
नूपुरौ विमलौ तद्वद् ग्रैवेयकमनुत्तमम् ।
अङ्गुलीयकरत्नानि समस्तास्वङ्गुलीषु च

ardhacandraṃ tathā śubhraṃ keyūrān sarvabāhuṣu |
nūpurau vimalau tadvad graiveyakamanuttamam |
aṅgulīyakaratnāni samastāsvaṅgulīṣu ca

He gave also a shining crescent moon, armlets for all her arms, two spotless anklets, a peerless necklace, and jewelled rings for every finger.

विश्वकर्मा ददौ तस्यै परशुञ्चातिनिर्मलम् ।
अस्त्राण्यनेकरूपाणि तथाभेद्यं च दंशनम्

viśvakarmā dadau tasyai paraśuñcātinirmalam |
astrāṇyanekarūpāṇi tathābhedyaṃ ca daṃśanam

Vishvakarma gave her a gleaming axe, missiles of many kinds, and armour that could not be pierced.

अम्लानपङ्कजां मालां शिरस्युरसि चापराम् ।
अददज्जलधिस्तस्यै पङ्कजं चातिशोभनम्

amlānapaṅkajāṃ mālāṃ śirasyurasi cāparām |
adadajjaladhistasyai paṅkajaṃ cātiśobhanam

The Ocean gave her a garland of unfading lotuses for her head and another for her breast, and a lotus of great beauty.

हिमवान् वाहनं सिंहं रत्नानि विविधानि च ।
ददावशून्यं सुरया पानपात्रं धनाधिपः

himavān vāhanaṃ siṃhaṃ ratnāni vividhāni ca |
dadāvaśūnyaṃ surayā pānapātraṃ dhanādhipaḥ

Himavan gave a lion to ride and jewels of many kinds. Kubera, lord of wealth, gave a drinking cup ever full of wine.

शेषश्च सर्वनागेशो महामणिविभूषितम् ।
नागहारं ददौ तस्यै धत्ते यः पृथिवीमिमाम्

śeṣaśca sarvanāgeśo mahāmaṇivibhūṣitam |
nāgahāraṃ dadau tasyai dhatte yaḥ pṛthivīmimām

Shesha, lord of all serpents, who bears this earth, gave her a serpent necklace adorned with great jewels.

अन्यैरपि सुरैर्देवी भूषणैरायुधैस्तथा ।
संमानिता ननादोच्चैः साट्टहासं मुहुर्मुहुः

anyairapi surairdevī bhūṣaṇairāyudhaistathā |
saṃmānitā nanādoccaiḥ sāṭṭahāsaṃ muhurmuhuḥ

Honoured by the other devas too with ornaments and weapons, the Devi roared aloud again and again with a mighty laugh.

तस्या नादेन घोरेण कृत्स्त्रमापूरितं नभः ।
अमायतातिमहता प्रतिशब्दो महानभूत्

tasyā nādena ghoreṇa kṛtstramāpūritaṃ nabhaḥ |
amāyatātimahatā pratiśabdo mahānabhūt

Her dreadful roar filled the whole sky. Its echo was vast beyond measure.

चुक्षुभुः सकला लोकाः समुद्राश्च चकम्पिरे ।
चचाल वसुधा चेलुः सकलाश्च महीधराः

cukṣubhuḥ sakalā lokāḥ samudrāśca cakampire |
cacāla vasudhā celuḥ sakalāśca mahīdharāḥ

All the worlds were shaken, the oceans trembled, the earth quaked and all the mountains rocked.

जयेति देवाश्च मुदा तामूचुः सिंहवाहिनीम् ।
तुष्टुवुर्मुनयश्चैनां भक्तिनम्रात्ममूर्तयः

jayeti devāśca mudā tāmūcuḥ siṃhavāhinīm |
tuṣṭuvurmunayaścaināṃ bhaktinamrātmamūrtayaḥ

The devas joyfully hailed her, the rider of the lion, crying 'Victory!' The munis, their bodies bowed in devotion, sang her praise.

दृष्ट्वा समस्तं संक्षुब्धं त्रैलोक्यममरारयः ।
सन्नद्धाखिलसैन्यास्ते समुत्तस्थुरुदायुधाः

dṛṣṭvā samastaṃ saṃkṣubdhaṃ trailokyamamarārayaḥ |
sannaddhākhilasainyāste samuttasthurudāyudhāḥ

Seeing the three worlds in turmoil, the enemies of the immortals made all their armies ready and rose up with weapons raised.

आः किमेतदिति क्रोधादाभाष्य महिषासुरः ।
अभ्यधावत तं शब्दमशेषैरसुरैर्वृतः

āḥ kimetaditi krodhādābhāṣya mahiṣāsuraḥ |
abhyadhāvata taṃ śabdamaśeṣairasurairvṛtaḥ

'Ah, what is this?' cried Mahishasura in rage, and surrounded by all the asuras he rushed toward that sound.

स ददर्श ततो देवीं व्याप्तलोकत्रयां त्विषा ।
पादाक्रान्त्या नतभुवं किरीटोल्लिखिताम्बराम्

sa dadarśa tato devīṃ vyāptalokatrayāṃ tviṣā |
pādākrāntyā natabhuvaṃ kirīṭollikhitāmbarām

Then he saw the Devi, her splendour filling the three worlds. The earth bent under the tread of her feet, and her crown grazed the sky.

क्षोभिताशेषपातालां धनुर्ज्यानिः स्वनेन ताम् ।
दिशो भुजसहस्रेण समन्ताद् व्याप्य संस्थिताम्

kṣobhitāśeṣapātālāṃ dhanurjyāniḥ svanena tām |
diśo bhujasahasreṇa samantād vyāpya saṃsthitām

The twang of her bowstring shook all the netherworlds, and she stood with her thousand arms filling the directions on every side.

ततः प्रववृते युद्धं तया देव्या सुरद्विषाम् ।
शस्त्रास्त्रैर्बहुधा मुक्तैरादीपितदिगन्तरम्

tataḥ pravavṛte yuddhaṃ tayā devyā suradviṣām |
śastrāstrairbahudhā muktairādīpitadigantaram

Then battle broke out between that Devi and the foes of the devas, and the quarters of the sky blazed with weapons and missiles hurled in every way.

महिषासुरसेनानीश्चिक्षुराख्यो महासुरः ।
युयुधे चामरश्चान्यैश्चतुरङ्गबलान्वितः

mahiṣāsurasenānīścikṣurākhyo mahāsuraḥ |
yuyudhe cāmaraścānyaiścaturaṅgabalānvitaḥ

Mahishasura's general, the great asura Chikshura, fought, and Chamara too, with other asuras and armies of all four arms.

रथानामयुतैः षड्भिरुदग्राख्यो महासुरः ।
अयुध्यतायुतानाञ्च सहस्रेण महाहनुः

rathānāmayutaiḥ ṣaḍbhirudagrākhyo mahāsuraḥ |
ayudhyatāyutānāñca sahasreṇa mahāhanuḥ

The great asura Udagra fought with sixty thousand chariots, and Mahahanu with ten million.

पञ्चाशद्भिश्च नियुतैरसिलोमा महासुरः ।
अयुतानां शतैः षड्भिर्वाष्कलो युयुधे रणे

pañcāśadbhiśca niyutairasilomā mahāsuraḥ |
ayutānāṃ śataiḥ ṣaḍbhirvāṣkalo yuyudhe raṇe

The great asura Asiloma fought with fifty million, and Bashkala with six million, in that battle.

गजवाजिसहस्रौघैरनेकैरुग्रदर्शनः ।
वृतो रथानां कोट्या च युद्धे तस्मिन्नयुध्यत

gajavājisahasraughairanekairugradarśanaḥ |
vṛto rathānāṃ koṭyā ca yuddhe tasminnayudhyata

Ugradarshana, surrounded by countless thousands of elephants and horses and by ten million chariots, fought in that battle.

बिडालाक्षोऽयुतानाञ्च पञ्चाशद्भिरथायुतैः ।
युयुधे संयुगे तत्र रथानां परिवारितः

biḍālākṣo'yutānāñca pañcāśadbhirathāyutaiḥ |
yuyudhe saṃyuge tatra rathānāṃ parivāritaḥ

Bidalaksha, surrounded by fifty times ten thousand chariots, fought in that battle.

वृतः कालो रथानाञ्च रणे पञ्चाशतायुतैः ।
युयुधे संयुगे तत्र तावद्भिः परिवारितः

vṛtaḥ kālo rathānāñca raṇe pañcāśatāyutaiḥ |
yuyudhe saṃyuge tatra tāvadbhiḥ parivāritaḥ

Kala, surrounded by five hundred thousand chariots, fought in that battle, ringed by as many more.

अन्ये च तत्रायुतशो रथनागहयैर्वृताः ।
युयुधुः संयुगे देव्या सह तत्र महासुराः

anye ca tatrāyutaśo rathanāgahayairvṛtāḥ |
yuyudhuḥ saṃyuge devyā saha tatra mahāsurāḥ

Other great asuras too, by tens of thousands, surrounded by chariots, elephants and horses, fought there with the Devi.

कोटिकोटिसहस्रैस्तु रथानां दन्तिनां तथा ।
हयानाञ्च वृतो युद्धे तत्राभून्महिषासुरः

koṭikoṭisahasraistu rathānāṃ dantināṃ tathā |
hayānāñca vṛto yuddhe tatrābhūnmahiṣāsuraḥ

And Mahishasura was there in the fight, surrounded by thousands upon millions of chariots, elephants and horses.

तोमरैर्भिन्दिपालैश्च शक्तिभिर्मुसलैस्तथा ।
युयुधुः संयुगे देव्या खड्गैः परशुपट्टिशैः

tomarairbhindipālaiśca śaktibhirmusalaistathā |
yuyudhuḥ saṃyuge devyā khaḍgaiḥ paraśupaṭṭiśaiḥ

They fought the Devi with lances and javelins, spears and pestles, swords, axes and pattishas, the broad-bladed swords.

केचिच्च चिक्षिपुः शक्तीः केचित् पाशांस्तथापरे ।
देवीं खड्गप्रहारैस्तु ते तां हन्तुं प्रचक्रमुः

kecicca cikṣipuḥ śaktīḥ kecit pāśāṃstathāpare |
devīṃ khaḍgaprahāraistu te tāṃ hantuṃ pracakramuḥ

Some hurled spears, others nooses, and some set about striking her with swords to kill her.

सापि देवी ततस्तानि शस्त्राण्यस्त्राणि चण्डिका ।
लीलयैव प्रचिच्छेद निजशस्त्रास्त्रवर्षिणी

sāpi devī tatastāni śastrāṇyastrāṇi caṇḍikā |
līlayaiva praciccheda nijaśastrāstravarṣiṇī

But Chandika, the Devi, raining her own weapons and missiles, cut down all their weapons as if in play.

अनायस्तानना देवी स्तूयमाना सुरर्षिभिः ।
मुमोचासुरदेहेषु शस्त्राण्यस्त्राणि चेश्वरी

anāyastānanā devī stūyamānā surarṣibhiḥ |
mumocāsuradeheṣu śastrāṇyastrāṇi ceśvarī

Her face showing no strain, praised by devas and rishis, the sovereign Devi loosed her weapons and missiles upon the bodies of the asuras.

सोऽपि क्रुद्धो धुतसटो देव्या वाहनकेशरी ।
चचारासुरसैन्येषु वनेष्विव हुताशनः

so'pi kruddho dhutasaṭo devyā vāhanakeśarī |
cacārāsurasainyeṣu vaneṣviva hutāśanaḥ

The lion she rode, enraged, shaking his mane, ranged through the asura hosts like a forest fire through the woods.

निश्वसान्मुमुचे यांश्च युध्यमाना रणेऽम्बिका ।
त एव सद्यः सम्भूता गणाः शतसहस्रशः

niśvasānmumuce yāṃśca yudhyamānā raṇe'mbikā |
ta eva sadyaḥ sambhūtā gaṇāḥ śatasahasraśaḥ

The breaths that Ambika let out as she fought in battle at once became ganas, her attendants, by the hundreds of thousands.

युयुधुस्ते परशुभिर्भिन्दिपालासिपट्टिशैः ।
नाशयन्तोऽसुरगणान् देवीशक्त्युपबृंहिताः

yuyudhuste paraśubhirbhindipālāsipaṭṭiśaiḥ |
nāśayanto'suragaṇān devīśaktyupabṛṃhitāḥ

Strengthened by the Devi's Shakti, they fought with axes, javelins, swords and pattishas, destroying the asura hosts.

अवादयन्त पटहान् गणाः शङ्खांस्तथापरे ।
मृदङ्गांश्च तथैवान्ये तस्मिन् युद्धमहोत्सवे

avādayanta paṭahān gaṇāḥ śaṅkhāṃstathāpare |
mṛdaṅgāṃśca tathaivānye tasmin yuddhamahotsave

In that great festival of war some ganas beat drums, others blew conches, and others played mridangas.

ततो देवी त्रिशूलेन गदया शक्तिवृष्टिभिः ।
शड्गादिभिश्च शतशो निजघान महासुरान्

tato devī triśūlena gadayā śaktivṛṣṭibhiḥ |
śaḍgādibhiśca śataśo nijaghāna mahāsurān

Then the Devi slew great asuras by the hundreds with her trident and mace, with showers of spears, and with her sword and other weapons.

पातयामास चैवान्यान् घण्टास्वनविमोहितान् ।
असुरान् भुवि पाशेन बद्ध्वा चान्यानकर्षयत्

pātayāmāsa caivānyān ghaṇṭāsvanavimohitān |
asurān bhuvi pāśena baddhvā cānyānakarṣayat

She struck down others stunned by the clang of her bell, and binding others with her noose she dragged them along the ground.

केचिद् द्विधा कृतास्तीक्ष्णैः खड्गपातैस्तथापरे ।
विपोथिता निपातेन गदया भुवि शेरते

kecid dvidhā kṛtāstīkṣṇaiḥ khaḍgapātaistathāpare |
vipothitā nipātena gadayā bhuvi śerate

Some were cut in two by the blows of her sharp sword. Others, crushed by the fall of her mace, lay on the ground.

वेमुश्च केचिद्रुधिरं मुसले भृशं हताः ।
केचिन्नपातिता भूमौ भिन्नाः शूलेन वक्षसि

vemuśca kecidrudhiraṃ musale bhṛśaṃ hatāḥ |
kecinnapātitā bhūmau bhinnāḥ śūlena vakṣasi

Some, badly struck by her pestle, vomited blood. Others, pierced through the chest by her trident, fell to the ground.

निरन्तराः शरौघेण कृताः केचिद्रणाजिरे ।
शैलानुकारिणः प्राणान् मुमुचुस्त्रिदशार्दनाः

nirantarāḥ śaraugheṇa kṛtāḥ kecidraṇājire |
śailānukāriṇaḥ prāṇān mumucustridaśārdanāḥ

On that field some were packed thick with her arrows. Huge as hills, those tormentors of the devas gave up their lives.

केषाञ्चिद्वाहवश्छिन्नाश्छिन्नग्रीवास्तथापरे ।
शिरांसि पेतुरन्येषामन्ये मध्ये विदारिताः

keṣāñcidvāhavaśchinnāśchinnagrīvāstathāpare |
śirāṃsi peturanyeṣāmanye madhye vidāritāḥ

Of some the arms were cut off, of others the necks. Heads of others fell, and others were split through the middle.

विच्छिन्नजङ्घास्त्वपरे पेतुरुर्व्यां महासुराः ।
एकबाह्वक्षिचरणाः केचिद्देव्या द्विधा कृताः

vicchinnajaṅghāstvapare petururvyāṃ mahāsurāḥ |
ekabāhvakṣicaraṇāḥ keciddevyā dvidhā kṛtāḥ

Other great asuras, their legs severed, fell to the earth. Some the Devi cut in two, so that each half had one arm, one eye and one foot.

छिन्नेऽपि चान्ये शिरसि पतिताः पुनरुत्थिताः ।
कबन्धा युयुधुर्देव्या गृहीतपरमायुधाः

chinne'pi cānye śirasi patitāḥ punarutthitāḥ |
kabandhā yuyudhurdevyā gṛhītaparamāyudhāḥ

Others, though their heads were cut off, fell and rose again. As headless trunks they fought the Devi, gripping their best weapons.

ननृतुश्चापरे तत्र युद्धे तूर्यलयाश्रिताः ।
कबन्धाश्छिन्नखिरसः खड्ग-शक्त्यृष्टिपाणयः

nanṛtuścāpare tatra yuddhe tūryalayāśritāḥ |
kabandhāśchinnakhirasaḥ khaḍga-śaktyṛṣṭipāṇayaḥ

Other headless trunks danced there in the fight to the rhythm of the war music, swords, spears and lances in their hands.

तिष्ठ तिष्ठेति भाषन्तो देवीमन्ये महासुराः ।
रुधिरौघविलुप्ताङ्गाः संग्रामे लोमहर्षणे

tiṣṭha tiṣṭheti bhāṣanto devīmanye mahāsurāḥ |
rudhiraughaviluptāṅgāḥ saṃgrāme lomaharṣaṇe

Other great asuras, their limbs drenched in streams of blood, shouted 'Stop, stop!' at the Devi in that hair-raising battle.

पातितै रथनागाश्वैरसुरैश्च वसुन्धरा ।
अगम्या साभवत् तत्र यत्राभूत् स महारणः

pātitai rathanāgāśvairasuraiśca vasundharā |
agamyā sābhavat tatra yatrābhūt sa mahāraṇaḥ

Where that great battle raged, the earth became impassable, strewn with fallen chariots, elephants, horses and asuras.

शोणितौघा महानद्यः सद्यस्तत्र विसुस्त्रुवुः ।
मध्ये चासुरसैन्यस्य वारणासुरवाजिनाम्

śoṇitaughā mahānadyaḥ sadyastatra visustruvuḥ |
madhye cāsurasainyasya vāraṇāsuravājinām

Great rivers of blood at once flowed there, through the midst of the asura army, among its elephants, asuras and horses.

क्षणेन तन्महासैन्यमसुराणां तथाम्बिका ।
निन्ये क्षयं यथा वह्निस्तृणदारुमहाचयम्

kṣaṇena tanmahāsainyamasurāṇāṃ tathāmbikā |
ninye kṣayaṃ yathā vahnistṛṇadārumahācayam

In a moment Ambika destroyed that vast asura army, as fire consumes a great heap of straw and wood.

स च सिंहो महानादमुत्सृजन् धुतकेसरः ।
शरीरेभ्योऽमरारीणामसूनिव विचिन्वति

sa ca siṃho mahānādamutsṛjan dhutakesaraḥ |
śarīrebhyo'marārīṇāmasūniva vicinvati

And the lion, shaking his mane and roaring loudly, seemed to be searching out the very life-breaths from the bodies of the devas' enemies.

देव्या गणैश्च तैस्तत्र कृतं युद्धं तथासुरैः ।
यथैषां तुतुषुर्देवाः पुष्पवृष्टिमुचो दिवि

devyā gaṇaiśca taistatra kṛtaṃ yuddhaṃ tathāsuraiḥ |
yathaiṣāṃ tutuṣurdevāḥ puṣpavṛṣṭimuco divi

So the Devi and her ganas fought the asuras there, in such a way that the devas in heaven were delighted and rained down flowers.